The Group Managing Director of Energy Group, Jimoh Ibrahim, has
terminated the appointment of the managing director of one of his
companies, Newswatch Media Ltd, Bolu Afolayan.
Jimoh Ibrahim sacked, the Newswatch MD on Monday, during a live broadcast on Africa Independent Television.
The event where the unexpected firing of Afolayan took place, was the
5th Energy Group GMD Conference held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
Afolayan’s termination was as a result of the protest of workers of
the National Mirror and Newswatch Times, who besieged the hotel to
complain about their 9-months salary arrears.
The placard-carrying workers were chanting solidarity songs as the
live transmission of the event ensued even as Jimoh Ibrahim appeared
indifferent to the protests of the workers.
After a few minutes of the protest failing to abate, he instructed
the security operatives present, to take the protesters out of the
venue.
He then proceeded to speak on the issue: “These are staff of the
National Mirror who cannot generate their own salary, and they expect
the company to make money from the company to pay them. Is that
practically okay? That is not possible. I have said it that any arm of
the group that cannot generate money to pay its salary would be shut
down.”
“What we are telling our friends in the media department is that they
must be sustainable.If you are not profitable, you cannot be
sustainable. Profitability is a key issue in continuity. If you are in
media and you cannot generate your own salary, where do you expect the
payment of your salary to come from?”
“There is no democracy in corporations. Any corporation talks about
democracy in corporation will fail. Democracy works in government. In
government, the issue is service to the people. But, in corporation, it
is about strategy, profits and survival. It does not matter how. Jimoh
Ibrahim cannot be a nice man all his life. But, he needs to take a
decision, no matter who is down.”
After announcing the sack of the newspaper MD, Ibrahim immediately
appointed Demola Abimboye to replace Afolayan as the new managing
director.